APPLIES TO ACADEMIC YEAR 2013/2014

GRA 6722 Current Issues in Logistics, Operations and SCM

Responsible for the course
Marianne Jahre

Department
Department of Strategy and Logistics

Term
According to study plan

ECTS Credits
6

Language of instruction
English

Introduction
The competition has moved from competition between firms to competition between supply chains. Any company is linked to other organisations, whether it is suppliers, customers, logistics service providers, or other intermediaries. The performance of the individual firm is dependent on the strength and weaknesses of its partners in the supply chain. This development has had a significant impact on shippers and logistics service providers as well as on other participants in the supply chain, and particularly it has involved a set of strategic challenges concerning supply chain positioning and the role of the supply chain participants, supply chain integration, and supply network configuration and organisation. The objective of the course is to provide the students with an insight of these strategic issues, and how to approach some of these issues.

Learning outcome
Acquired knowledge

To understand the logic of logistics, supply chains, and networks
To gain knowledge of selected and current issues, such as ethics in purchsing and environmental issues in logistics
To understand the specific challenges of logistics and supply chains in selected industries, such as relief operations, construction, and the logistics indusry
To gain understanding of selected current research areas in logistics and supply chain management

Acquired skills
to be able to apply logistics and SCM models in different settings
to be able to compare and critique different sources and approaches
to be able to communicate in the range of logistics professionals

Reflections
to appreciate and understand multiple perspectives on logistics and supply chain management
To be able to be a reflexive logistics professional

The intention is that this course will help students to apply and further develop knowledge gained from previous courses in logistics, supply chains, and networks.

Prerequisites
Bachelor degree qualifying for admission to the MSc Programme. This is a fourth semester course and students need to have covered the topics in the previous courses in the major in order to quaify for this course

Compulsory reading
Books:
Gambles, Ian. 2009. Making the business case : proposals that succeed for projects that work. Gower
Simchi-Levi, David, Philip Kaminsky, Edith Simchi-Levi. 2008. Designing and managing the supply chain : concepts, strategies, and case studies. 3rd ed. McGraw-Hill/Irwin

Articles:
Selected articles

Other:
During the course there may be hand-outs and other material on additional topics relevant for the course and the examination


Recommended reading

Course outline
Topics in focuse will be a selection among:
Logistics and Supply Chain Management (SCM) in theory and practice
Creating Customer Value through Logistics and SCM
Leading Edge Logistics
Performance Measurement, and Benchmarking in Logistics and SCM
SCM integration, Process Management, and Lean Thinking
Network planning and Supply Chain Alliances
Outsourcing, Procurement and Supply Contracts
Organisational Issues in Logistics and SCM
Global and environmental issues in SCM
Implementation of the SCM-concept

The course provides students with a framework of how to develop business cases in real life settings and requires use of tools, concepts and frameworks learnt in other operations management, logistics and SCM courses. The literature constitutes one book providing the business case framework and one book on the main issues within the field to 'remind' students of what they have learnt in their master program.

Computer-based tools
It's learning

Learning process and workload
A course of 6 ECTS credits corresponds to a workload of 160-180 hours.
The course is highly interactive and constitutes a mix of discussions, work with term paper, and lectures on selected issues

Please note that while attendance is not compulsory in all courses, it is the student’s own responsibility to obtain any information provided in class that is not included on the course homepage/LMS or text book.


Examination
60% - Term Paper
40% - Class participation

Specific information regarding student evaluation beyond the information given in the course description will be provided in class. This information may be relevant for requirements for termpapers or other hand-ins, and/or where class participation can be one of several elements of the overall evaluation.

This is a course with continuous assessment (several exam elements) and one final exam code. Each exam element will be graded using points on a scale (e.g. 0-100). The elements will be weighted together according to the information in the course description in order to calculate the final letter grade for the course. You will find detailed information about the point system and the cut off points with reference to the letter grades on the course site in It’s learning.

Examination code(s)
GRA 67223 continuous assessment accounts for 100% of the final grade in the course GRA 6714

Examination support materials
N/A. Exam aids at written examiniations are explained under exam information in the student portal @bi. Please note use of calculator and dictionary in the section on examaids

Re-sit examination
It is only possible to retake an examination when the course is next taught.
The assessment in some courses is based on more than one exam code.
Where this is the case, you may retake only the assessed components of one of these exam codes.
Where this is not the case, all of the assessed components of the course must be retaken.
All retaken examinations will incur an additional fee.

Additional information
Honor Code
Academic honesty and trust are important to all of us as individuals, and represent values that are encouraged and promoted by the honor code system. This is a most significant university tradition. Students are responsible for familiarizing themselves with the ideals of the honor code system, to which the faculty are also deeply committed.

Any violation of the honor code will be dealt with in accordance with BI’s procedures for cheating. These issues are a serious matter to everyone associated with the programs at BI and are at the heart of the honor code and academic integrity. If you have any questions about your responsibilities under the honor code, please ask